Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

S. H. BROKAW & P. S. NICHOLSON.

THILL COUPLING.

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our improvements.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN H. BROKAW AND FLOYD S. NICHOLSON, OF HORNELLSVILLE NEW YORK.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,236, dated J uly 9, 1895.

Application filed March 14, 1895 Serial No. 541,733- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, STEPHEN H. BROKAW and FLOYD S. NICHOLSON, of Hornellsville, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thin-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in thill-couplings, the object of the invention being to so construct a thill-coupling that it shall possess simplicity, prevent rattling, automatically compensate for wear, and which shall be eifectual in all respects in the performance of its functions.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partlyin section, illustrating Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the parts detached.

A represents the front axle of a vehicle and B one of the clips, the latter being made with screw-threaded shanks a a, which pass through a plate O, disposed parallel with the under face of the axle, and nuts a are screwed on said shanks, whereby to retain the clip and plate in place. The upper portion of the clip B is made with an enlargement b, the front face of said enlargement being curved. The plate 0 is made with a flange or enlargement 0, having a curved upper face, which, in conjunction with the lower portion of the curved enlargement b, constitutes a seat for aspringactuated jaw D, carried by the lower end of a spring O, the upper end of which is provided with an elongated slot for the accommodation of a screw 0 by means of which said spring is secured to the enlargement b on the clip, and between the head of the screw c and the spring a block or washer c is placed.

The jaw D constitutes one part of a hearing for a pin d, carried by the thill E, and the other part of said bearing is formed by a hook-shaped jaw D projecting forwardly from the plate 0, said jaws being so formed as to produce a slot 6 between them. The pind is preferably made integral with the rear end of the thill, which, for that purpose, is somewhat enlarged, and at one end said pin is provided with a head e, adapted to bear against the ends of the jaws D D. The other end of the pin (1 is made conical, as at f, to permit its ready insertion between the jaws D D, and the portion 9 of the thill connected with the conical end of the pin is made thin to allow its ready passage through the slot 6 during the assembling of the parts. Adjacent to the pin (1 the enlarged end of the thill is made with'a slot or opening h for the passage of the jaw D when the thill is made to project forwardly from the vehicle. A spring t' is secured at one end to the thill and projects into the slot or opening it, said spring bearing at its free end against the jaw D. Theaction of the springs O 'b' will efl'ectually prevent the parts of the device from rattling.

By connecting the jaw D with the spring C said jaw will at all times be maintained in proper contact with the pin 61 and will automatically compensate for wear of the jaws and the pin.

Our improvements are very simple in construction, comprise few parts, can be readily assembled, and are effectual in all respects in the performance of their functions.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. The combination with a clip, of a fixed jaw and a yielding jaw connected therewith, a thill having a pin or projection to enter between said jaws and having an opening adjacent to said pin or projection, and a spring secured to the thill and adapted to enter said opening and bear on the fixed jaw, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a clip, a fixed jaw and a yielding jaw connected therewith, said jaws being so disposed as to leave a slot between them, of a thill, a pin on said thill adapted to enter between said jaws, a portion of said thill being made thin to pass through IOG said slot, and said thill being made with an opening adjacent to the pin for the reception of the fixed jaw, and a spring secured to the thill and adapted to bear on said fixed jaw, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a clip, of a plate secured thereto and having a fixed jaw, a spring adj nstably secured at one end to the clip and free at its other end and a jaw at the :0 free end of said spring adapted to cooperate with the fixed jaw to inclose a pin or projection on the thill, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN H. BROKA'W. FLOYD S. NICHOLSON. Witnesses:

CHARLES W. STEVENS, LOLA O. OLNEY. 

